Mandolin SONGS anybody know any?

I like to sing . . but I also like to play mandolin tunes. I’ve never really heard anybody sing and play tunes on a mandolin at the same time. . (mind you I’ve lived a very sheltered life). Can anybody help?

By the way I like playing Hornpipes best.

the only one that comes directly to mind is “Blue moon over kentucky” but I suspect that it’s not the one you want to sing.

Andy Irvine?

Peter Rowan?
Bill Monroe?
Bob Brozman?
Steve Earle?
(OK, last four are chording rather than playing tunes)

Listen to Nicklecreek…

This is the main reason I bought my mandola….so I could play backup and sing without learning a completely new instrument, like guitar.

I do, however, still use the mandolin as backup on a few songs…The Blacksmith, Willie and Mary, Home by Bearna, Willie Taylor. But generally speaking, just by the nature of its little self, the mandolin is more suited (I think anyways) to melody playing.

Now, if what you mean, is both playing and singing the melody at the same time…well, I’m not sure I could split my focus well enough to do both at the same time.

There are songs written to a hornpipe melody. *Phil the Fluter’s Ball" is one such. The Dubliners covered it (although it was originally recorded in the 78 era by something like Dan Sullivan’s Shamrock Band), and so it would have had Barney McKenna playing banjo or mandolin--I can’t recall.

I thought this was fairly common. Maybe I run in odd circles, or may it’s an Adirondack thing, or maybe the Adirondacks are an odd circle, which seems fairly likely.

KFG

The only song I know of which works well on mandolin is the Steve Winwood song “Back in the High Life Again”. Not exactly traditional, but very few songs work at all on the instrument.

Don’t forget about Rod Stewart’s song with the mandolin opening (was it “Maggie May”).
It might be worth taking a look at www.mandolinmagazine.com as there might be something there.

Maggie May had a mandolin *ending*, Cuso. Rod featured the mandolin on quite a few of his tunes. “Mandolin Wind” was a good example. Lindisfarne used it a lot too. In fact it was Ray Jackson who played the mandolin part for Rod on Maggie May, although John Peel pretended to play it on Top of the Pops.
There’s also songs like “It must me love” (Labi Siffre (sp) and Madness), “When I’m dead and gone” etc which sound great with the mandolin.

Many folk and trad songs can be adapted for mandolin accompaniament with melody runs etc so I wouldn’t restrict myself to what’s been done already.

I’m actually a pretty crap singer so I stick to playing tunes. That was one of the reasons that I moved from guitar to mandolin and fiddle. There were too many mediocre singer/strummers going around already. 🙂

I always liked ‘p stands for paddy’ with a mandolin accompaniement

Anders

Paul Brady - “Lough Erne Shore” & “The Jolly Soldier”.
also several on the recordings by Donal Maguire, surely one of the most under-rated singers in the Irish tradition.
“When I’m Dead And Gone” was by Benny Gallagher & Graham Lyle.

p stands for paddy - amazing……..
i have a live recording of moynihan singing that somewhere - breathtaking!

That’s right Kenny and a hit for McGuinness Flint in 1970/71.

Incidentally, I’m going to see Paul Jones and Dave Kelly do a gig in an unlikely venue tonight.
--St Michael’s Parish Church, Musselburgh.

What’s the connection? Why Tom McGuinness, of course! He played with Gallagher and Lyall in McGuinness Flint and with Paul Jones in both Manfred Mann and The Blues Band-and with Dave Kelly in the latter.

Ooh, John, you’re so eclectic!

Thanks to every one for their contribution . . I’ll have a look at your suggestions.

“Billy The Kid” ,“Goin’ To Brownsville”,Ry Cooder.

- Billy The Kid“ ,”Goin’ To Brownsville",Ry Cooder._
These are the two tracks that hooked me on mandolin. Good call.

When I’m Dead and Gone seems to be one of those things every guitarist (in UK & ireland anyway) plays as soon as they learn a couple of mandolin chords. Very prominent part of the sound.

“Phil the Fluters ball” - my dad would only believe I could play an instrument if I could play “PTFB” on it. Nothing else would impress him. Fortunately I learned it on whistle just before he died. Pretty hard singing it while you’re playing whistle though.

Stew, I get to sing and play mando at the same time. My band, Celtic Stew (what a coincidence), plays a mix of traditional dance and the usual pub tune/singalong stuff. We have a wonderful guitarist, electric bass and a flute/piccolo/whistle player. With the strong rhythm/chord structure, it is pretty effortless to pick the melody and sing at the same time on songs like Whiskey in the Jar. I will play high octave in unison with the flute or the vocal line, and low unison with the whistle and piccolo. It’s almost as good as having an accordion player!!.

For specific singers who play, I guess the Wolfe Tones come to mind and, of course, me!

Also any one of a number of songs by Tim O‘Brien. Must not forget Tim O’Brien - he is outstanding.

Well, we’re freedom fighters, with mandolins!
Saw Doctors

There’s also “Hobos’ mandolin”, recorded by Tom Rush on his “Ladies Love Outlaws” album, though it’s by someone else, and ABOUT a mandolin.
Should be good, though.

Here’s a couple more:
The Galway Girl by Steve Earle (from Transcendental Blues - also, a slightly different version is on Sharon Shannon’s The Diamond Mountain Sessions).
The Raggle Taggle Gypsy by Planxty.

Led Zep’s “Battle of Evermore” and “That’s the Way” w/ John Paul Jones on mando … excellent versions on “How the West Was Won.”